Clarke County AlArchives History - Books .....Daring Of Heaton-Bloody Scenes-Gaines And The Choctaws 1923
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com June 13, 2007, 12:16 am

Book Title: History Of Clarke County

DARING OF HEATON -BLOODY SCENES - GAINES AND THE CHOCTAWS

    "While the larger body of Creeks were destroying the people at Fort Minis,
Francis, the prophet, at the head of a hundred warriors, was spreading his
depredations in the fork of the Alabama and Tombigby. Abner James and Ransom
Kemball, with their large families, being inmates of Fort Sinquefield, and
becoming dissatisfied at remaining among so many people, repaired to the house
of Kemball, situated two miles from the fort. Here they were living when Francis
suddenly surrounded the house, about three o'clock in the evening. Abner James,
his son Thomas, then fourteen years of age, and his daughter Mary, escaped, and
fled to the fort. Isham Kemball, then sixteen years of age, also safely reached
Fort Sinquefield, and is now the clerk of the Circuit Court of Clarke County.
All the others were despatched with war-clubs and scalped. After killing the
stock and robbing the house the Indians retired to the swamps. In the early part
of the night a slight rain commenced, which, it is believed, revived Sarah
Merrill, the married daughter of James, whom the Indians had supposed to be
dead. She felt among the bodies, which lay thick around her, and found her
little boy, twelve months old, who also fortunately was alive. Some warm milk
from her breast revived him more and more. Taking him in her arms, she with
difficulty got upon her feet, and slowly walked toward the fort. Arriving within
half a mile of that place, her bleeding wounds weakening her at every step,
forced her to place the babe by the side of a log, while she went on and
communicated his hiding place to the anxious garrison. Some generous men boldly
sallied out, found the boy, and brought him to the fort. They are both now
alive. The young woman was severely beaten with large clubs, and the scalp of
the entire top of her head was taken off. The savages slung the little fellow
against the side of the house, and cut around his head, but his hair being too
short they did not pull off his scalp.

    Hearing of the murders, Colonel Carson despatched from Fort Montgomery
Lieutenant Bailey with seven dragoons, and three men employed as spies, to bury
the dead and ascertain if the Indians were numerous. Twelve bodies were conveyed
to Fort Sinquefield in an ox-cart, and thrown into a pit dug fifty yards from
the gate. About the time that the funeral ceremonies were closing, and while
nearly the whole garrison were engaged therein, Francis suddenly rushed with a
hundred warriors down a hill toward them. The men snatched up the children, and
every one of them reached the gate in time, except about ten women at the
spring, who were engaged in washing. The Indians, failing to cut off the retreat
of the main party, perceived with delight the helpless condition of these
females, and rushed in that direction to secure them. Just at that moment Isaac
Heaton, who had been out cow-hunting, riding up, with his long whip and large
pack of dogs, gave a tremendous crack, and, encouraging his canine army, charged
upon the Indians. Such was the fury of the dogs that the Creeks were forced to
halt and fight them, which enabled Heaton to cover the retreat of the women
until they arrived safely in the fort. His horse fell under him from the wound
of an Indian gun, but rose again, and followed into the fort his heroic master,
who had received no other injury than the riddling of his coat with rifle-balls.
Only one poor woman - a Mrs. Philips, who was in an advanced state of pregnancy
- was overtaken and scalped.

    Heaton deserves to be remembered for this achievement - an eminent
exemplification of bravery and presence of mind. The Indians now attacked the
little stockade, but a brave resistance repelled them, with the loss of eleven
warriors. Then, securing the dragoon horses, which had been tethered outside the
walls, the savages rapidly retired. The Americans, having lost only one of their
number, besides the unfortunate Mrs. Philips, the next day evacuated
Sinquefield's fort, and marched to Fort Madison for better security, where the
inmates of Forts Glass and Lavier had also flocked, swelling the population to
over one thousand souls, including the command of Colonel Carson of two hundred
and twenty men.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY 
BY JOHN SIMPSON GRAHAM

Press of
BIRMINGHAM PRINTING COMPANY
Birmingham, Ala.
1923


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